Vegetable Gardening

[GLC1968]

Lisa - your garden is beautiful! Is that borage there in the front of one of those photos? Do you eat it or is it just there for insect protection and visual interest?

I have a bunch of photos on my camera, but I'm missing my cable so I can't download them. Our garden is growing like gangbusters. Both the boxes and the row garden area...it's unreal! We are so pleased at the success we've had with things that we failed at last year. I've harvested so much broccoli that I haven't had to buy it in months and I eat a lot of broccoli! The peas and kale are still going nuts and while the first planting of spinach did really well, I need to get more in the ground. We've had a cold wet spring, but it suits my tastes just fine as the spring veggies are my favorites anyway.

We did fail miserably at growing sweet potatoes once again. Maybe I'll just have to accept that three strikes and I'm out? Oy. I think it's too cold here.

[tulip]

Lisa, your garden takes my breath away! How beautiful!

GLC, sweet potatoes like it hot hot hot! I can't imagine they'll do much in the PNW. I did have luck growing them in Maryland a few years ago. Get a new cable already! We want to see pics of your Eden!

I've expanded my garden this year. I'll take some photos and post them.

Oak, from your May question:

I rotate my raised beds just by rotating them. I have 7 beds that are roughly 6'x3', and one long one that is 13'x3'. I just plant different things in each bed. I have two wire bins for potatoes, and those rotate around year-to-year. No corn; not worth it for me when there's a corn field 2 miles away with a farm stand. The only thing that I don't rotate is my herb garden, which is a half-circle. It's new, so it's kindof bare this year, but I'll post a picture soon.

[GLC1968]

GLC, sweet potatoes like it hot hot hot! I can't imagine they'll do much in the PNW.

I know...but I was hopeful. It does get hot here, particularly in the valley I live in, but the nights are ALWAYS cool and our season is very short. I tried a potato variety that supposedly does well in this region this year and got NOTHING. I'm annoyed. I think I might contact the growers where I bought the slips as they are also local and might have some hints for me. I *might* give it one more shot.

I can't wait to see your herb garden! I'm really procrastinating on mine. I've got a few annual herbs in with my regular garden, but I haven't even started my perennial garden yet. I have decided on two locations so all I need to do now is make it happen. You know...in all that free time...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Is that borage there in the front of one of those photos? Do you eat it or is it just there for insect protection and visual interest?

It's for my honeybees (and any other bees who want to share). I have several flowers for bees in the veggie garden.

We need pix of your gardens! Did the rose bushes at ends of beds work well for you? How are your animals doing?

Lisa, your garden takes my breath away! How beautiful!

Thanks! I remember when you gave me that advice about utilizing the space in my old small garden better, and planting closer together. I've been following that advice successfully ever since, and it works well for me.
But my biggest tactic that works is successive planting of just one or two 3' rows with seed frequently, and yanking out the older stuff somewhat ruthlessly and composting it.
Seeds are fairly cheap, and life's to short to eat bitter bolting lettuce!

More kohlrabi!! lol